Some Fun? [Open]

[Xiangtian Xiao]

Kyojin found himself quite busy after his return from Lightning Country and he has to prepare for another trip. Despite the huge amount of profit predicted to be raked in the next few months, Kyojin preferred to be active. His men thought it too dangerous and unseemly to allow their boss to venture deep within caves though his success rates could not be ignored. Business rivals moan the loss of Araya Akaya and knew they would always be beneath the Isaki clan due to the red-haired giant's incredible geological expertise. The Isaki clan's invitation to another Country was like music to Kyojin's ears and he gladly accepted. His absence would not even hurt the business, thanks to his delegation plan but it did not mean he would tolerate embezzlement, sabotage or betrayal. In the book of Namazu Kyojin or rather Araya Akaya, cravens are the worst kind of human scum and he will mercilessly punish any who dare to betray his expectations and trust.

But today, none of that! It is his day off and he spent most of it preparing. Now he walked around the village of Suta, checking out the marketplace to see if there was anything he needed. His ragged cloak, used in years of mercenary service, would need an upgrade for windy weather. Should be fun trying to find some for a man of his size.
[All are welcome! Especially you, Sanyu!]

 

[Sanyu]

[col3]|

'I Miss the cold.' The difference in whether in the Moon country from the Water country was quite a dramatic change for Shigeko, never being outside the former tropical area she feet the need to change her entire wardrobe to be far more comfortable. Proud of where she came from she proudly flaunted her chakra mark from the Mist Village on her lower back.

Changing her wardrobe was irritating, however, she is a mercenary now an doesn't have a form of reliable income any more, and work wasn't exactly the easiest thing to come by now. She had little, barely enough to buy groceries for a few weeks and survive off that. As she traveled from the Water Country to here she has seen many strange things, certainly stranger than this but she was still shocked.

She had stopped in front of a man that towered over her, like many do, but he was nearly two feet taller. His skin disturbingly gray, and his hair and eyes like blood. Creepy.|[/col3]​

 

[Xiangtian Xiao]

Kyojin had already approached a middle-aged male merchant about tailoring his cloak for long travel. The merchant seemed agreeable though he first balked at the idea of fixing Araya Akaya's cloak, whose extraordinary size and honorable conduct was well-known in Suta. He would have tread carefully or risk the giant's ire. All he needed to do was give his word and complete whatever task, which in this case is strengthen a cloak for distant travel.

"I can have this easily fixed up for you Akaya," the merchant cordially said. "Come by tomorrow. It won't be easy to find something for your size, but it will be done, I swear it."

Kyojin nodded and would have gone his way to explore the marketplace further if not for a young woman in front of him. She stopped in front of him and stared. Kyojin did not recognize her and doubted she was from the whorehouse. Her appearance was far too elegant for that, he thought, but then again he never truly paid much attention to the few whores he used. Still, it was probably the girl's first time seeing such a man like him. Surely his skin was not that unusual. His cousins had green, blue and orange skin!

Kyojin looked back at her with amusement. "You have pretty hair, softskin."

 

[Sanyu]

[col3]|

She continued to stare at his strange appearance until she realized that he had noticed her. Embarrassed by her own rudeness she looked away until she was addressed. The compliment was... nice, she guessed, albeit kinda creepy. "Um... Thanks?" She wasn't quite sure how to respond. she couldn't find this giant man at all attracting, not that he was ugly he was just... strange. Skin, hair, eyes, the combination of the three made him look otherworldly, maybe even demonic. She noticed that he had given his cloak to the merchant, though it looked more like a small blanket. It looked tattered which mean this man saw a lot of battle, maybe she can get in on that fun?

"What exactly do you mean by softskin?" She didn't quite understand that part of his compliment, everyone had soft skin, right? Its not like he was made out of rocks... Wait. 'Is that why his skin looks like stone?' She needed to know, but wouldn't be weird to ask 'Can I touch your skin?' Yeah, no thank you. His towering height made Shigeko, while she viewed herself as having a powerful woman personality, feel like a small child, but that wouldn't deter her.

"So uh... Softkin huh? What exactly is your skin made out of then?" This could either end in a weird explanation, or a fight, but he just complimented her so he seemed like a pretty nice guy. A rough appearance, definitely, but judging a book by its cover isn't right.

[MFT]|[/col3]​

 

[Xiangtian Xiao]

Softskin and smoothskin were terms used by Kyojin's tribe to describe those unlike them, though softskin is more common. The two words once had derogatory meaning ages ago, a way to distinguish the ancient Kyoujouran from those they thought below them but it no longer has such meaning. It is now a simple term, nothing more. This girl would be among the many who questioned the term and so Kyojin spoke the same words he told those many before her.

"It is nothing offensive, I assure you, a mere word used by my tribe to describe outsiders. Old habits die hard. But the word is just as it is, you have soft, frail skin. I do not." Kyojin paused, realizing his words may seem offensive but he hoped his smile showed his intent and so he continued. "My skin is flesh, yet different from yours. It could be stone. Steel. Granite. Or perhaps all of these. It takes understanding the origin of my tribe for my words to make sense but see, the end result is that my skin quite hard. Thus the term...

"But enough of that. I have not seen you before. A pretty face like yours is rare. Is this your first time here?"

 

[Sanyu]

[col3]|

Shigeko let down a few of her defenses, as long as she wasn't being insulted she didn't completely care about what name or title that she is addressed as. "That's pretty weird honestly, but ok." She shrugged it off undisturbed. Most people had soft skin like her, maybe a bit rough and calloused due to manual labor, but if anything he was the strange one, not her. His explanation, however, intrigued her. "So is your skin naturally like that, or is it some form of special clan jutsu?" Though she wanted to inquire forward the conversation was changed to her story.

"I don't necessarily live here, so I'm not in the area often. Just a wandering mercenary is all. I used to belong to Kirigakure before it went under." She stated quickly while still staring at the man's strange skin tone. She couldn't stray away from the topic, in all her years of living she has never seen something quite like this.

"Unfortunately, work has been pretty stiff, I make just enough to get by now but its so boring here. Do you come here often?" She sighed, maybe she should have tried to join another village, at least they have enemies to deal with, at the moment Shigeko has no friends nor enemies. Her mind was once again drawn to the topic of his clan.

"Say... can I feel you?" She contemplated this thought for a second before realizing how terrible it sounded out loud. "I mean your skin of course, the notion of turning your skin into another material is quite interesting."

[MFT]|[/col3]​

 

[Xiangtian Xiao]

Kyojin thought if his people were here right now, they would call the woman in front of him, and just about everyone else, weird. But he did not say anything, for he knew every culture had their own definition of "weird", if his experiences as a wanderer were valid.

"Yes. Naturally. Every Kroc is born with such skin but one must go through the kurka-agoge, a dangerous ritual of my tribe, to refine it. The weak die and the strong lives on."

Kyojin's face briefly twitched in surprise when the girl mentioned she was a mercenary... and a former Kirigakurian shinobi. How curious! Perhaps the Fates led her to him? Or him to her. He waited until she was finished talking to speak his surprise. "Curious, most curious! I too am a mercenary... and I was born in Kirigakure, on one of its quaint mountain islands. I now live in a cave on the mountain up there so I come down here when I can, to get supplies and whatnot. Though I occasionally visited the main island of Kirigakure, I do not recognize you. Likely our paths never crossed unfortunately. I... my cousin... he was the last Main Branch Sennin, Namazu Kyojin. Fell in his attempt to wake a volcano in hopes of destroying the abnormal cold..."

One day he might re-claim his name, if his sins are atoned for. But today was not that day and so he said the words he often told any Kirigakurian straggler encountered. He doubted anyone from his past could recognize him... those people were either safe in some other hidden village or were dead. Kyojin did not know nor did he care. It has been five years. No one recognized him since.

He was wondering if he should offer the girl a job when she asked if she could feel him. He would have teased her had she not clarified her words.

"You may," Kyojin chuckled, bringing forth his arm and spoke further. "But where are my manners? I am Araya Akaya and I may have an offer for you. I will be traveling to Wind Country on business soon and will be there for a while, but if you find your way there, I can introduce you to my employer, Isaki Osore. No doubt you have heard of the Isaki name. He may hire you if you prove yourself worthy. What say you?"
[Apologies for the wait!]

 

[Sanyu]

[col3]|

Shigeko was never one to question another's culture, while others would be shocked an appalled at a culture that got anyone "weak" killed she wasn't phased by it. Shinobi know the rules, the strong survive and the weak are canon fodder, its nothing different so it meant nothing to her. "Oh, well that is a shame." She wasn't sure how to respond, however, he certainly didn't seem hurt about it but she also didn't hear a sense of pride while he was explaining.

Shigeko was certainly surprised to hear that he two had been a shinobi from Kirigakure, why she never really noticed this man, who clearly stood out, is beyond her. He too became a mercenary, she wondered if many other ninja from mist had taken the same path, she hadn't seen anyone since she left. "The cave? Doesn't sound too comfortable." She couldn't live in a damp, cold, dark cave, a girl needs somewhere nice to maintain her beauty.

"The main branch sennin? I knew of him, being in the main branch myself I was technically under him but I never spoke to him face to face," She was really only a main branch Shinobi by name, most of her time she spent as a member of the Shoukyou clan. She also didn't know about the sennin's attempt to wake a volcano to stop the inevitable freeze, whether that would have solved the problem or not, or even cause more problems, is beyond her. "Well he certainly tried, it was a dangerous job, the fate of the water country certainly wasn't his fault."

He offered his arm for her to feel. this scene seemed strange to those without context however. She grasped his arm and realized what he truly meant, his skin was rock hard... maybe he could benefit from lotion. He proceeded to introduce himself and offered her an opportunity she couldn't pass up, her eyes widened in excitement but then realized that she hadn't exactly introduced herself either, she even asked to feel his skin beforehand. "My name is Shoukyou Shigeko, and I would love to come with you to Wind Country, I can certainly use some work." She desperately needed the excitement too.

[MFT]|[/col3]​

 

[Sanyu]

[Leaving due to inactivity and to open up slots]